Obama had proposed to Republicans a "grand bargain" that accomplished a host of individual things that are unpopular on their own, but that just might pass as a huge package jammed through Congress with default looming. Obama offered to put Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid cuts on the table in exchange for a tax hike of roughly $100 billion per year over 10 years. Meanwhile, government spending would be cut by roughly three times that amount. It's no small irony that the party's dogmatic opposition to tax increases is costing the GOP its best opportunity to roll back social programs it has long targeted.

Of course, Boehner was incredibly STUPID not to take it, but we must remember and understand the minds of those roaming through the House of Representatives (his caucus), since they won the 2010 midterm election these individuals really don't think their roses stink, but it was the public which indicated to them in 2012 that it does smell and quite bad.

Now here we are not even six months after a decisive 2012 election win and we have to be bothered with social security cuts on the horizon.

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is correct about slowing the growth of social security payments, would be devastaing. Most seniors in this country have worked and put money in this plan for decades. Most seniors are on a fixed income. Most seniors live under the poverty line and Social Security is their only monetary link. And families of these seniors understand all of this, so cutting payments right now could be disastrous to these families.

Proponents of the chained CPI include the Washington Post Editorial Board[2] the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget,[3] the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities,[4] and the Heritage Foundation [5] and it is included in various bipartisan commissions designed to reduce the deficit such as Simpson-Bowles, Domenici-Rivlin and the Gang of Six.[6] Opponents of the measure contend that changing inflation metrics to the Chained CPI would be a benefit cut to programs like Social Security and Supplemental Security Income.[2] Opponents include the American Federation of Government Employees, the AFL-CIO and Social Security Works.[7] Opponents claim that the current CPI devised for programs for the elderly understates their inflation by not taking into account different buying patterns for different age groups.[8]

The main new element of the budget is his proposal, offered previously in private negotiations with Speaker John A. Boehner, for a new cost-of-living formula that would reduce future Social Security benefits.

The budget is written to bring the GOP to the table and to make the Democrats try to campaign on THIS to regain control of the congress in 2014.

Good Luck.

Right now, this is a gift to the GOP. To finally have a Democratic President not only sign in the sequester cuts, but to finally have him tout cutting social security payments and curb medicare benefits. This gift is a shield to the GOP for 2014. They won't have to tout their glee, but just point the finger to head of the Democratic Party whose budget was put forward by him.

Barack Obama does not like politics, but he surely likes being in charge. But with this responsibility lie those under you. Like your Democratic Party members that must go out and actually explain this? People are not dumb. It is obvious for the discontent towards the Republican Party; they made the bed, laid in it and lost effectively in 2012. Why give any openings to them? I understand the word "getting along", but the public also understand that the obstructionists has been the Republican Party. The Republican Party even understands that by their own "autopsy report", so why give them any help to keep control?

Lastly, President Obama said the minimum wage should be 9.00 and hour. (in the real world it should be at least 20.00 an hour) I agree it should be increased, more than 9.00 an hour. The big open secret is that many in this country are working in poverty. Even 9.00 an hour is not going to help a family of 3. It won't. People are not out there spending money, because it is not there to spend. These families look at every penny, cut that is out there and still have to get section 8 housing, WIC, food stamps, if they qualify by having a minimum wage job. President Obama understands this, but at the same token he wants to cut social security payments?

And we are suppose to trust President Obama to do the right thing? I don't. Not when you have a bunch of DC bubbled up insiders who wears 3000.00 suits daily, have plenty of money in the bank, not a monetary care in the world for their families, have not talked to a "real person" in probably years, but they are to make policy for me? Sorry, that is trust I can not believe in.

The proposal would change how Social Security pension benefits are periodically adjusted for inflation and, in doing so, also change the adjustment of federal individual income tax brackets, resulting in slightly higher taxes for many Americans.

The below is the full video from the National Press Club, Washington, D.C. RNC Reince Preibus' paid report which he calls the "GOP Autopsy". In other words, why the GOP continue to lose national presidential elections and can't figure out why. In all honesty, he could have called me and got this information for FREE. It is a stark, realistic evaluation of the Republican Party and how the public perceives them. At the end of the day though, unless the Republican Party's policies change to the mainstream view, this party will continue to LOSE, and continue to be Stuffy Old White Men.

subscribe hereicebergslim on Daily Kos ShareNote: If you are viewing this in Firefox, on 17" monitor or smaller, the left panel may be blown. This is a firefox issue, if you view this in IE, Safari, Opera, Google Chrome, no issue. FYI.